Welcome to FlamesForum.com!

The inability to convert on the power play has once again killed the Flames. Any team can easily defend the Flames' boring power play strategy which consists of pass around the perimeter and wait for the point shot. No wonder goals on the PP are few and far between.

The Flames for the first time in a while, were outworked 5v5 and lost the game on special teams. The game was broken open in the second as Lombardi scored short-handed for his tenth of the season. On the same power play Ohlund tied the game after Amonte yet again got caught too far away to defend the cross ice pass.

The game got nasty in the second period when Vancouver fans began their chant 'Calgary Sucks'. (Poor bumcouver fans only have one thing to say these days, ah well, let them be).

The overall inability for the Flames to capitalize on 2-1 and 2-0 spelled disaster. The Canucks capitalized on quick turnovers and almost scored two quick goals if it weren't for a crashing the crease penalty by Burrows. Turnovers eventually the cost the Flames the game as the 'Nucks scored in the 3rd to make it 3-1.
After all the power plays for the Flames the Canucks finally got some penalty love and received a 5v3 power play when both Phaneuf and Regehr were called. The Flames of course got more PP chances but couldn't even get a shot on goal. In fact, no shot was recorded in the 3rd until the 10 minute mark. Apparently the Flames like to take their time shooting, waiting waiting waiting.
Notes: Hamrlik left the game after suffering a groin injury. He is day to day, Warrener is not close to returning, Friesen factored back into the line up as well as Prust. Yelle may make an appearance at the end of the road trip.

The shuffle continues. One day after Maki was sent down after a brief look, Prust will return to face the Canucks tonight at GM Place.

Discuss the game in the Game Day forum. 

The 1st line remembered what happened a week ago and decided to take matters into their own hands. Jarome Iginla had a 4 point night taking in 2 assists and 2 goals to lead the Flames to a comfortable 5-2 victory of the Wild.

Tanguay got the ball rolling after scoring a top shelf goal off a break-away that started from a nifty pass from Hamrlik. The Wild would tie it up soon after on a short-handed breakaway. But after that, the Flames and the top line took control with Iginla leading the way.

This win marked a Calgary Flames franchise record for consecutive home games. The new record is now 10 and has yet to be broken.

Thankfully the Flames never let up on the boring Wild hockey club, giving pay back for the consistent degradation of the NHL (I'm blowing it out of proportion but playing for ties just ain't cool.)

Kiprusoff was solid when he had to be, but it was the top line that got things moving. Albeit a few bounces went the Flames' way, i.e. Phanuef's goal off a deflection, but winning hockey games means taking advantage of all of your opportunities.

Tomi Maki made his NHL debut and played a spirited contest on as LW on the 4th line. Nice wheels, hope he has the hands to make it to the bigs. Ri. Regehr and Goridano played together on the 3rd defensive line and were solid for the most part.

The Calgary Flames have recalled defensemen Mark Giordano and Richie Regehr and left wing Tomi Maki. They will replace Nilson, Warrener, and Zyuzin. Yelle is not ready to come back and the first two have groin problems.

Giordano has appeared in five games for the Knights, notching two assists, 8 penalty minutes and a +4 rating. In ten games for the Flames this season, the native of Toronto has scored two goals and earned eight penalty minutes and a +3 rating.

Regehr was recalled to Calgary on Tuesday, December 5th and played in his first game with the Flames on Saturday, a 5-3 win against Vancouver. He was re-assigned to Omaha after the game. In 22 games with the Knights this season, the native of Bandung, Indonesia has five goals and nine assists for 14 points. He also has 37 penalty minutes and a +16 plus/minus rating which is tied for third best in the AHL.

Maki will be making his NHL debut when he plays in his first game for Calgary. In 21 games for the Knights this season Maki has one goal and five assists for six points and six penalty minutes. (Wow, he must be a defensive specialist....) Last season, his first in North America, Maki had 12 goals and 17 assists for 29 points and 33 penalty minutes. He was the only member of the Knights to play in all 80 games.

This game was a lot closer than it should have been. The Canucks managed to get to within 1 in the third but couldn't tie it up before Tanguay scored an empty netter. For some reason it's cool to step off the gas in the last 10 minutes of the game just to make things interesting.

Penalty trouble got Vancouver behind early in the first with extended 5 on 3 match ups. As usual, the Flames could not capitalize. Vancouver, albeit, had their fair share of powerplays scoring two of their goals on the advantage.
Midway through the second Bouck tried to get his team going after Lombardi's goal off a Ritchie feed to make it 4-1. Let's just say Bouck doesn't have the book on Prust because he got his face pummeled. Luongo was pulled after the 4th goal and ex-Flames Danny Sabourin came in and played strong the rest of the way.
Iginla continues he exceptional play potting three points tonight. 1 goal after hard work downlow and beating Luongo on the cover. He also assisted on Tanguay's empty netter and  Phaneuf's powerplay goal in the 1st. The thing is, Iginla's defensive zone coverage lacks, not because of skill, but effort.

Notes: Warrener left the ice after twisting his knee. That doesn't look good, look for Girodano to get the call if Zyuzin can't go by Tuesday. Next up, boring Minnesota. They played for the tie again but managed to win today against Chicago. Hope we can light it up.

Jarome Iginla (may he always be a Flame) scored in the second period, tying the game at 2 a piece, for his 300th goal and 600th point of his career.

The referees made it their business to make their presence felt calling a whopping 18 penalties in the game. One can't complain because the horrible calls went both ways, so all things being equal how did the Flames fair? Well finally they got a powerplay goal from Iginla. Warrener scored short handed for this 2nd of the season (2 more than Friesen.)

The Flames had many chances to put this one away, so it's not for a lack of offensive might that they lost.

Of course, with the crappy hockey the Wild produce that would be it for the scoring. The shoot out would ensure after a scoreless OT. Tanguay not-so-clearly scored on the first play, but the NHL can't afford cameras or slowmo technology so it was deemed no goal. Huselius didn't score as the final shot, Kiprusoff didn't save any, and Ritchie, RITCHIE folks, scores for the Flames. Yes, the Calgary Flames are abysmal in the shoot out.

Is it just me or was that the quietest rink to date? I'm surprised Minnesota sells out so many games giving the boring style of hockey they play. They play for the tie and then move to the shoot out.

The good news is the Flames can can the cocky Wild (Rolston slap shot? wow, that takes nuts) next Tuesday at the Dome. You can guarantee a win in this game. (Not enough bad blood though. Hopefully the Flames destroy some of the Wild forwards on Tuesday.)

The Calgary Flames have recalled left wing Brandon Prust from Omaha. This is Prust’s second recall of the season. Apparently, Nilson was hurt in practice.

Prust has appeared in 15 AHL games this season, scoring four goals and four assists for eight points and 50 penalty minutes. In his first NHL recall earlier this season, the native of London, Ontarioappeared in seven games for the Flames, posting a +1 rating 18 penalty minutes. He made his NHL debut at Detroit on November 1, 2006.

Prust was drafted by the Flames in the third round, 70th overall, in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. During his rookie pro season in 2005-06, he played in all but one game for the Ak-Sar-Ben Knights, scoring 12 goals and 26 points. Prust also had a team-leading 294 penalty minutes.